Family lays slain 7-year-old to rest

Published: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 12:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 11:10 a.m.

As the procession streamed out of St. Genevieve Church, 27-year-old Jesslyn Lirette was at the front, grasping flowers as she struggled to walk. Hundreds of family, friends and well-wishers to the family followed behind as motorcycles revved their engines.

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The family of 7-year-old Jori Lirette, including Jesslyn, his mom, laid his body to rest Tuesday, nine days after he was found dead outside his West Seventh Street home. Following the funeral Mass, Jori’s body was taken to its final resting place in St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux.

Wright is being held at the Lafourche Parish jail in lieu of a $5 million bond.

Wright and Jesslyn had been a couple for about 10 years, family members said, and Wright told police he killed Jori to hurt her.

The Mass, led by the Rev. Dean Danos, was a way for the family to find closure. Danos tried to comfort Jori’s loved ones by saying that after death, he will not have cerebral palsy or trouble talking, all things the boy struggled with while alive.

“Jori is with our Lord,” Danos said during the Mass. “He lives more perfectly than he ever did on Earth.”

Prior to the Mass, Jesslyn spoke again. Wright was hardly mentioned during Tuesday’s services, though Jesslyn did say she will “fight for justice.”

“If I could change it, I would,” Jesslyn said, fighting back tears. “But God took you into his light and into his heart. You’re with someone who will never hurt you, never put you down and always make you smile.”

Though the way Jori died was gruesome, Danos said, he was making an effort to make the service kid-friendly and took time to tell stories on how children can cope with losing a loved one. Before reading the book “It Must Hurt a Lot” by Doris Sanford, Danos asked all of the kids at the Mass to sit on the church’s front steps.

“Death is always difficult, but the death of a child is especially hard,” Danos said.

After the Mass, the sound of motorcycles outside the church was deafening as Jori’s casket was put into the hearse. Family friend Kim Benoit said that was done as a tribute, as Jori loved motorcycles.

At the cemetery, stuffed animals and flowers were placed near Jori’s crypt, and a few of the stuffed animals were put into the crypt. Loved ones have said the outside of the crypt will contain a photo of Jori with angel wings, as well as the inscription “No words ... just a smile.”

Tuesday’s services cap a week of memorials in Jori’s honor. On Sunday, residents gathered in Peltier Park for a candlelight vigil to celebrate his life, as well as try to bring together a still-grieving community. Facebook groups have been created both to honor Jori’s life and to seek justice for his death.

The West Seventh Street home was turned overnight into a shrine as people routinely dropped off stuffed animals, balloons, toys, candles and pictures. One local store said it ran out of helium last week because of all the people buying balloons to put outside the home.

Family members said they will donate the majority of the stuffed animals to charity.

Jesslyn said before the Mass that she knows she will be able to come to terms with her son’s death. However, she said, that time is still a ways away.

“I think of all our memories, and I see pain in the future,” Jesslyn said.

Staff Writer Abby Tabor contributed to this report. Staff Writer Eric Heisig can be reached at 857-2202 or eric.heisig@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @TerrebonneCrime.

<p>As the procession streamed out of St. Genevieve Church, 27-year-old Jesslyn Lirette was at the front, grasping flowers as she struggled to walk. Hundreds of family, friends and well-wishers to the family followed behind as motorcycles revved their engines.</p><p>The family of 7-year-old Jori Lirette, including Jesslyn, his mom, laid his body to rest Tuesday, nine days after he was found dead outside his West Seventh Street home. Following the funeral Mass, Jori's body was taken to its final resting place in St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux.</p><p>Jori's father, 30-year-old Jeremiah Wright, is accused of decapitating his son.</p><p>Wright is being held at the Lafourche Parish jail in lieu of a $5 million bond.</p><p>Wright and Jesslyn had been a couple for about 10 years, family members said, and Wright told police he killed Jori to hurt her.</p><p>The Mass, led by the Rev. Dean Danos, was a way for the family to find closure. Danos tried to comfort Jori's loved ones by saying that after death, he will not have cerebral palsy or trouble talking, all things the boy struggled with while alive.</p><p>“Jori is with our Lord,” Danos said during the Mass. “He lives more perfectly than he ever did on Earth.”</p><p>Prior to the Mass, Jesslyn spoke again. Wright was hardly mentioned during Tuesday's services, though Jesslyn did say she will “fight for justice.”</p><p>“If I could change it, I would,” Jesslyn said, fighting back tears. “But God took you into his light and into his heart. You're with someone who will never hurt you, never put you down and always make you smile.”</p><p>Though the way Jori died was gruesome, Danos said, he was making an effort to make the service kid-friendly and took time to tell stories on how children can cope with losing a loved one. Before reading the book “It Must Hurt a Lot” by Doris Sanford, Danos asked all of the kids at the Mass to sit on the church's front steps.</p><p>“Death is always difficult, but the death of a child is especially hard,” Danos said.</p><p>After the Mass, the sound of motorcycles outside the church was deafening as Jori's casket was put into the hearse. Family friend Kim Benoit said that was done as a tribute, as Jori loved motorcycles.</p><p>At the cemetery, stuffed animals and flowers were placed near Jori's crypt, and a few of the stuffed animals were put into the crypt. Loved ones have said the outside of the crypt will contain a photo of Jori with angel wings, as well as the inscription “No words ... just a smile.”</p><p>Tuesday's services cap a week of memorials in Jori's honor. On Sunday, residents gathered in Peltier Park for a candlelight vigil to celebrate his life, as well as try to bring together a still-grieving community. Facebook groups have been created both to honor Jori's life and to seek justice for his death.</p><p>The West Seventh Street home was turned overnight into a shrine as people routinely dropped off stuffed animals, balloons, toys, candles and pictures. One local store said it ran out of helium last week because of all the people buying balloons to put outside the home.</p><p>Family members said they will donate the majority of the stuffed animals to charity.</p><p>Jesslyn said before the Mass that she knows she will be able to come to terms with her son's death. However, she said, that time is still a ways away.</p><p>“I think of all our memories, and I see pain in the future,” Jesslyn said.</p><p><i>Staff Writer Abby Tabor contributed to this report. Staff Writer Eric Heisig can be reached at 857-2202 or eric.heisig@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @TerrebonneCrime.</i></p>